NH Democratic Wave Halted At Governor's Office; Sununu Re-Elected

CONCORD, NH -- A Democratic wave swept over New Hampshire Election Day but Republican Governor Chris Sununu blocked it from crashing down on the corner office. The incumbent Sununu, one of the most popular governors in the country, was re-elected to a second term by defeating Democratic challenger Molly Kelly. It was one of the lone bright spots for New Hampshire Republicans on Election Day.

Democrats captured both congressional races and flipped control of the legislature, winning majorities in the House and Senate. Democratic Congresswoman Ann Kuster won re-election in the Second District while fellow Democrat Chris Pappas defeated Trump-backed Republican Eddie Edwards in the First District. Pappas became the state's first gay congressional representative.

Voters in Concord made history by electing 27-year-old Democrat Safiya Wazir, who escaped the Taliban and recently earned her American citizenship.

Statewide, voters approved a pair of constitutional amendments regarding data collection and suing the government.

Sununu acknowledged there will be a new political atmosphere in Concord Wednesday.

"The next two years are going to be a little bit different," Sununu said in his victory speech. "But that's OK. That's New Hampshire."

Sununu, 43, was the youngest governor in the country heading into Election Day. He frequently touted the strength of New Hampshire's economy on the campaign trail. The state's unemployment rate last month was 2.7 percent, tied for the third-lowest in the country and a full point below the national average of 3.7 percent.

"We have gotten so much done in this state," Sununu said. "We are getting results for the people of New Hampshire."

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Kelly, a former five-term state senator, trailed in polls for most of the race but saw a last-minute surge of support and was actually tied with Sununu on Sunday, according to a University of New Hampshire election poll. Sununu ended up winning by a margin on 53 percent to 46 percent on Election Day.

Kelly addressed supporters during her concession speech.

"We came up short," Kelly said. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Kelly made paid family leave the cornerstone of her campaign. She said she supported up to six weeks of paid leave for employees for reasons including having a child or dealing with a spouse's illness.

"Paid family leave is about being with the people we love most when they need us most," Kelly said on the campaign trail.

Sununu has supported paid family leave, though he threatened to veto a leave bill earlier this year.

Democratic leaders said voters made their intentions clear at the polls.

"They voted for paid family and medical leave, access to affordable health care, resources to combat the opioid crisis, and to continue supporting our local public schools," Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy said in a statement. Soucy, of Manchester, was re-elected and expected to become the new Senate president.

Legalizing marijuana was a secondary campaign issue but it could come to a head in the coming months. Democrats support legalizing the drug, while Sununu is opposed. Sununu last year signed a bill decriminalizing marijuana but he has stopped short of supporting legalization.

Over the summer, Sununu was ranked as the fourth-most popular governor in the country in a summer poll conducted by Morning Consult. He ran unopposed in the September primary.

Sununu is from perhaps the state's most famous political family. His father is a former governor and his brother is a former U.S. Senator.

New Hampshire governors serve two-year terms.

Lead photo credits: Office of Governor Chris Sununu; Molly Kelly